Defenseman John-Michael Liles introduces 7-year-old Allison Levine of Aurora to Bernie, the Colorado Avalanche team mascot. Photo by Michael Martin, Special to The Denver Post

Players and coaches from the Colorado Avalanche traded their hockey sticks for aprons when they gathered at the Hyatt Regency Tech Center to serve bacon, eggs, pancakes and more to guests at the team’s annual charity brunch. Then, after everyone had filled their plates, the fellows dashed backstage to change into styles from Saks Fifth Avenue for a runway show with ambassadors from The Children’s Hospital.
The ambassadors are youngsters who are, or were, patients at the Aurora hospital. They were dressed by Stylicious.

A capacity crowd filled the Hyatt ballroom, and between ticket sales, sponsorships and an auction of baskets filled with stuff the Avs consider their “favorite things,” $70,000 was raised. The money goes to The Children’s Hospital, Teammates for Kids and Kroenke Sports Charities.